A metering smart plug on a dumb machine often tells you as much as the manufacturer's own app — check what the connectivity actually adds before paying for it.
Connected washers and dryers run on manufacturer-specific app ecosystems — Bosch/Siemens Home Connect, Miele's own app, LG ThinQ, Samsung SmartThings, AEG's My AEG — that are largely closed to third-party hubs. This site's own connected appliances article makes the point directly: for many households, the genuinely useful feature (a finished-cycle notification) is achievable more cheaply with a plain metering smart plug on any washing machine, detecting the drop in power draw when the cycle ends, than by buying into a manufacturer's full connected ecosystem.
Where the manufacturer app does add real value is remote cycle selection and monitoring (starting or checking a cycle from work), and, on some higher-end models, automatic detergent dosing based on load size and fabric type detected by onboard sensors — a genuine convenience feature that a smart plug obviously can't replicate.
Third-party home-automation integration is limited and inconsistent: a few brands expose some functions via Matter, IFTTT or a documented API, but most of this category should be evaluated primarily on the washing/drying machine itself — drum size, energy rating, program flexibility — with connectivity treated as a secondary, brand-locked bonus rather than a driving purchase factor.
What to look for
What the app actually adds over a smart plug
Remote start/monitoring and automatic detergent dosing are the features a smart plug can't replicate. A finished-cycle notification, the most commonly cited reason people want a "smart" washer, is achievable more cheaply with a metering plug on any existing machine.
Ecosystem lock-in
Home Connect (Bosch/Siemens), LG ThinQ, Samsung SmartThings, Miele and AEG's My AEG are separate, largely closed ecosystems. If you already use one of these for another appliance, staying within it avoids running multiple separate apps.
Energy rating and actual running cost
The EU energy label (rated A to G on the current scale) and the specific programme's stated water and energy use per cycle matter far more to long-term running cost than any connectivity feature. Prioritise this over the smart features when comparing models.
Automatic dosing systems
Available on some higher-end Miele, Bosch/Siemens and LG models, automatic dosing measures load size and sometimes fabric type via onboard sensors and dispenses the correct detergent/softener amount, reducing both waste and the guesswork of manual dosing.
Third-party integration, where it exists
A minority of models expose some functions via Matter, IFTTT, or a documented API; check the specific model and current status rather than assuming any "connected" appliance implies broad smart-home compatibility.
Remote diagnostics and service alerts
Several apps can flag an error code or maintenance need (a filter to clean, a service due) remotely, which is a genuinely useful feature independent of any deeper home-automation ambitions.
The shortlist compared
Brand
Ecosystem
Auto-dosing available
Third-party integration
Notes
Bosch/Siemens
Home Connect
Yes, higher-end models (i-DOS)
Limited (some IFTTT/Matter on newer ranges)
Shared app across Bosch and Siemens appliances
Miele
Miele app / Miele@home
Yes, higher-end models (TwinDos)
Limited
Premium build, longer typical appliance lifespan
LG
ThinQ
Yes on some models
Limited (ThinQ has some third-party links)
Shared app across LG's wider appliance range
Samsung
SmartThings
Yes on some models (AI-based dosing)
SmartThings has the broadest third-party hub support of this group
Samsung's SmartThings also controls non-Samsung Matter devices
AEG
My AEG
Limited
Limited
Shared ecosystem with Electrolux appliances
Prices move constantly and vary by country, so we give an indicative band
rather than a figure that would be stale within a month. Check the brand's own store for the
current price.
The picks in detail
Bosch/Siemens Home Connect washers & dryers
Home Connect (Wi-Fi, proprietary)
Home Connect is one of the more mature connected-appliance ecosystems, shared across Bosch and Siemens' wider range (also ovens, dishwashers), so buying into it once pays off if you're furnishing a kitchen and laundry with several connected appliances from either brand.
Higher-end i-DOS models add automatic detergent dosing based on sensed load weight and soil level, a genuinely useful feature; entry-level models in the range are connectivity-only without it.
Mature ecosystem shared across a wide appliance range
i-DOS auto-dosing on higher-end models is genuinely useful
Reliable remote monitoring and error alerts
Auto-dosing reserved for higher-end models specifically
Limited third-party smart-home integration
Miele washers & dryers
Miele@home (Wi-Fi, proprietary)
Miele's appliances carry a reputation for exceptional build quality and longevity that arguably matters more to total cost of ownership than any smart feature, and TwinDos automatic dosing on higher-end models is well-regarded for accuracy.
It's priced at the premium end of the category throughout, and like most of this list, third-party smart-home integration beyond Miele's own app is limited.
Exceptional build quality and typical appliance longevity
TwinDos auto-dosing well-regarded for accuracy
Reliable remote monitoring and service alerts
Premium pricing throughout the range
Limited third-party smart-home integration, as with the rest of this category
LG ThinQ washers & dryers
ThinQ (Wi-Fi, proprietary)
LG's ThinQ ecosystem spans a very wide appliance range and includes genuinely useful diagnostic features, like a phone-camera-based error-code lookup and remote troubleshooting support alongside standard remote start/monitor.
Auto-dosing availability varies by specific model rather than being consistent across the range, so check the exact model rather than assuming it based on the ThinQ badge alone.
Wide appliance range under one consistent app
Useful remote diagnostics and troubleshooting features
Competitive pricing relative to Miele/Bosch premium tiers
Auto-dosing availability varies by specific model, check before assuming
Third-party integration limited like the rest of the category
Samsung SmartThings washers & dryers
SmartThings (Wi-Fi, Matter-adjacent hub)
Samsung's SmartThings ecosystem stands out in this category specifically because SmartThings itself has become a genuine Matter controller and hub, meaning it can also control non-Samsung Matter devices elsewhere in the home, giving Samsung appliances a slightly less siloed position than most competitors here.
The washer/dryer's own connected features (AI-based dosing on some models, remote monitoring) are competitive with the rest of the category rather than category-leading in isolation; the real differentiator is SmartThings' broader hub role.
SmartThings' hub role gives broader Matter integration than most competitors
AI-based dosing available on some models
Wide appliance range under one app
Core washing/drying performance is competitive but not distinctly superior to rivals
Full benefit depends on buying into the broader SmartThings ecosystem
AEG My AEG washers & dryers
My AEG (Wi-Fi, proprietary)
AEG (part of the Electrolux group) offers solid, well-regarded washing and drying machines at a price generally below Miele and Bosch/Siemens' premium tiers, with straightforward remote monitoring rather than the more elaborate auto-dosing features of the pricier competitors.
This is the pragmatic pick for someone who wants a decent connected appliance without paying a premium-brand price, accepting a simpler feature set in the connectivity layer specifically.
Good value relative to Miele/Bosch premium tiers
Solid core washing/drying performance
Straightforward, uncomplicated app
Fewer advanced connected features (auto-dosing) than the premium competitors
Do I need a connected washer for a finished-cycle notification?
No — a plain metering smart plug on any washing machine, detecting the drop in power draw when the cycle ends, delivers this specific feature more cheaply than buying a manufacturer-connected appliance for it alone.
What does the app actually add over a smart plug then?
Remote cycle selection and detailed status monitoring, and on higher-end models, automatic detergent dosing based on sensed load size and soil level — genuine conveniences a smart plug can't replicate, but worth weighing against the price premium specifically for these features.
Do these work with my existing smart home hub?
Mostly not, beyond the manufacturer's own app. A few models expose some functions via Matter, IFTTT, or a documented API; check the specific model's current integration status rather than assuming any "connected" appliance implies broad hub compatibility.
Is automatic detergent dosing worth paying extra for?
It's a genuine convenience and can reduce detergent waste from manual over-dosing, but it's not essential — a household that already measures detergent carefully by load size manually will see a smaller practical benefit from paying extra for it.
What matters more: connectivity or energy rating?
Energy rating and running cost, for almost every household. The EU energy label and stated water/energy use per programme affect the appliance's cost over its whole lifetime far more than any smart feature, and should be weighed first.
Terms explained
Home Connect
Bosch and Siemens' shared connected-appliance app ecosystem, covering washers, dryers, ovens, dishwashers and more across both brands.
Auto-dosing
A feature on some higher-end washing machines that automatically dispenses the correct detergent/softener amount based on sensed load weight and, sometimes, fabric type.
EU energy label
A standardised rating (currently A to G) indicating an appliance's energy efficiency, used to compare running cost expectations across models independent of any smart features.
